The present invention relates to television systems, and particularly to pay television systems.
Typically, pay television programming material is provided via an integrated receiver and decoder (IRD) which receives and decodes pay television transmissions. In some state-of-the-art pay television systems, the programs are encrypted, and a smart card, which is typically inserted in a slot in the IRD, is operative to provide seeds or keys for decryption of the encrypted programs. One example of such a system is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,282,249 and 5,481,609 to Cohen et al.
German Patent application DE 19520180 describes wireless remote control, e.g. for pay-TV system which has an integral reading unit for a carrier in form of IC card that contains information for working a remote control unit and at least one channel for television programs.
Patent application WO 9517793 describes a programming device that uses an integrated smart card reader and an electronic circuit for transferring the programming information obtained from the card to the receiver. The programming information contained on the card may be divided into information packets and relate to the television stations which can be received with a given locality. The smart card reader may be incorporated in a remote control device for the receiver.
Japanese patent application JP 62067967 describes a personal TV receiver which also serves as personal data bank and has programs for IC cards operated via remote control by transmitter to enable one TV set to perform various demands.
Canadian patent application CA 2083471 describes a remote control device that has a first command signal generator for receiving user activation, and in response for it, generating a selected one of a number of first command signals, which signifies a user selected appliance.
Japanese patent application 2189098 describes a multi-purpose remote control transmitter which has a device to read transmission data stored in IC card.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,412 to Handelman et al describes a CATV system including a CATV network and apparatus for transmitting over the CATV network information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each including a CATV decoder and an IC card reader and writer coupled to the CATV decoder, the IC card reader and writer includes two separate IC card receptacles, such that IC cards inserted into the two separate IC card receptacles are separately accessed by the IC card reader and writer.
Unpublished Israel patent application 117,547 filed Mar. 18, 1996 and corresponding PCT application No. PCT/IL97/00031, filed Jan. 23, 1997 describe a pay television system including: a pay television network; a subscriber unit which receives pay television transmissions via the pay television network and displays the pay television transmissions on televisions coupled thereto, the subscriber unit including at least two pay television decoders, wherein a first decoder includes a first card reader and a second decoder includes a second card reader; a first smart card which is operative, upon insertion in a first slot in the first card reader, to activate decoding of the pay television transmissions in the first decoder; and a second smart card which is operative, upon insertion in a second slot in the second card reader, to activate decoding of the pay television transmissions in the second decoder, wherein the second smart card is operable to deactivate in accordance with predetermined criteria, and to reactivate upon insertion in the first slot in the first card reader after removal of the first smart card from the first card reader.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,668 to Shamir et al describes a method and apparatus for simple identification and signature which enable any user to prove his identity and the authenticity of his messages to any other user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,970 to Shamir describes a method and apparatus which enable an entity to generate proofs of identity and signatures of messages that everyone can verify but no one can forge.
The disclosures of all references mentioned above and throughout the present specification are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention seeks to provide television systems having portable devices for receiving program transmissions and/or authorizations.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a subscriber unit in a television system, the subscriber unit including:
an integrated receiver and decoder (IRD) including a first smart card reader which is operative to accept a first smart card; and
a remote control including a second smart card reader which is operative to accept a second smart card, wherein the first smart card and the second smart card, when inserted in the corresponding first and second smart card readers respectively, are operative to communicate with each other in wireless communication over a wireless communication link to control access to services.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the first smart card, when inserted in the first smart card reader, is operative to control access to at least a first service, and the second smart card, when inserted in the second card reader, is operative to control access to at least a second service, and the first smart card and the second smart card, when both are inserted into the first and second smart card readers respectively, are operative to communicate with each other in wireless communication over the wireless communication link to control access to at least a third service.
Preferably, the access to services includes at least one of the following: authorization for purchase of a restricted television program; authorization for purchase of merchandise; authorization for purchase of information; and authorization for purchase of a service.
Additionally, the access to services may be associated with a PIN of a subscriber.
Preferably, each of the IRD and the remote control includes an encryptor/decrypter which is operative to encrypt/decrypt the wireless communication.
Further preferably, the remote control includes a display and an input device for interacting with a subscriber.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the IRD includes:
an IRD verifier which is coupled to the first smart card reader; and
a receiver and decoder unit which is coupled to the IRD verifier and is operative to receive and decode television transmissions provided by the television system, wherein
the IRD verifier is operative to accept a first authorization signal from the first smart card, and a second authorization signal from the second smart card via the wireless communication link, and to provide a key for decoding at least part of the television transmissions to the receiver and decoder unit.
Additionally, the remote control includes a remote control verifier which is coupled to the second smart card reader, and
the remote control verifier is operative to verify authenticity of the second smart card, to receive the second authorization signal from the second smart card, and to provide the second authorization signal to the IRD verifier via the wireless communication link when authenticity of the second smart card is verified.
Alternatively, the IRD verifier is excluded, and the remote control includes a remote control verifier which is coupled to the second smart card reader, and the remote control verifier is operative to accept a first authorization signal from the first smart card via the wireless communication link, and a second authorization signal from the second smart card, and to provide a key for decoding at least part of the television transmissions to the receiver and decoder unit.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a portable subscriber unit including:
a receiving antenna for receiving television transmissions;
a receiver and decoder unit which is coupled to the receiving antenna and is operative to receive and decode the television transmissions;
a smart card unit which is operative to provide authorization for viewing the television transmissions via a smart card reader;
a verifier which is coupled to the smart card reader and to the receiver and decoder unit and is operative to accept the authorization for viewing the television transmissions from the smart card and to provide a key for decoding the television transmissions to the receiver and decoder unit;
a transmitting antenna; and
a transmitter which is coupled to the transmitting antenna and to the receiver and decoder unit, wherein the receiver and decoder unit is operative to provide to the transmitter decoded television transmissions in response to acceptance of the key, and the transmitter is operative to provide the decoded television transmissions to the transmitting antenna for wireless transmission.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the smart card unit is operative to provide the key to the verifier.
Preferably, the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna are combined in a receive/transmit antenna.
Additionally, the portable subscriber unit includes a multiplexer for multiplexing the decoded television transmissions prior to providing to the transmitter the decoded television transmissions in response to acceptance of the key.
Further additionally, the portable subscriber unit includes a transceiver for transmitting remote control signals to the television via a wireless link.
There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a remote control for use in a television system, the television system including an integrated receiver and decoder (IRD) comprising a first smart card reader which is operative to accept a first smart card, the remote control including wireless communication apparatus operative to establish a wireless communication link with the IRD, and a second smart card reader which is operative to accept a second smart card, wherein the first smart card and the second smart card, when inserted in the corresponding first and second smart card readers respectively, are operative to communicate with each other in wireless communication over the wireless communication link to control access to services.
There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for use in a television system, the television system including a remote control and an integrated receiver and decoder (IRD) comprising a first smart card reader which is operative to accept a first smart card, the method including establishing a wireless communication link between the remote control and the IRD, and accepting a second smart card in a second smart card reader in the remote control, wherein the first smart card and the second smart card, when inserted in the corresponding first and second smart card readers respectively, communicate with each other in wireless communication over the wireless communication link to control access to services.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is also provided an access control method including:
inserting a first smart card in an IRD;
enabling access to a first group of television program transmissions;
inserting a second smart card in a remote control which is in wireless communication with the IRD; and
enabling access to a second group of television program transmissions in response to the step of inserting a second smart card in a remote control.
Preferably, the step of enabling access to a first group of television program transmissions includes providing an authorization for purchase of at least one of the following: restricted television programs; merchandise; information; and services.
Further preferably, the step of providing an authorization for purchase includes:
determining a first set of conditions; and
providing the authorization for purchase in accordance with the first set of conditions.
Preferably, the first set of conditions includes a first limit.
Further preferably, the step of enabling access to a second group of television program transmissions includes providing an authorization for purchase of at least one of the following: restricted television programs; merchandise; information; and services.
Preferably, the step of providing an authorization for purchase includes:
determining a second set of conditions; and
providing the authorization for purchase in accordance with the second set of conditions.
The second set of conditions may include a second limit.
Preferably, each of the first limit and the second limit is programmable.
Additionally, the method also includes the step of enabling decoding of conventional remote control functions in response to the step of inserting a first smart card in an IRD.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing television transmissions including:
receiving television transmissions provided by a headend at a portable subscriber unit via an RF wireless communication link;
inserting a smart card in a smart card reader in the portable subscriber unit;
decoding the television transmissions at the portable subscriber unit to generate decoded television transmissions in response to verification of the smart card; and
transmitting the decoded television transmissions to a television in response to the verification of the smart card.
Preferably, the receiving step and the transmitting step are provided via a combined receive/transmit antenna.